Man United consider Marbella training camp after snubbing Doha
Manchester United are exploring the possibility of holding a warm-weather training camp in Marbella after cancelling plans to train in Qatar.
The club scrapped a scheduled February trip to Doha due to security concerns and escalating unrest in the Middle East.
Anti-Western protests have been mounting in Iran following the assassination of Qasem Soleimani by the US, with an effigy of arrested UK ambassador Rob Macaire being burned in the streets.
The tension has seen Ajax’s American defender Sergino Dest leave his side’s warm-weather camp in Qatar last week.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer plans to give his players a week off during the winter break from February 2 but wants to bring them back together for intensive training prior to their season resuming at Chelsea on February 17.
Marbella, in Spain has been discussed as an alternative destination for a training camp though there are no guarantees it will have warm weather at that time of year.
Liverpool used Marbella Football Centre last May during their preparation for the Champions League Final.
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Solskjaer hopes to have Sporting Lisbon’s Bruno Fernandes in his squad by then while Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba are also hoping to be back from injury and the camp would give everyone extra bonding time.
Pogba was back at Carrington this week wearing a protective boot following further surgery on his ankle in Amsterdam.
After the game with Chelsea, United face Brugge in the Europa League before taking on Watford at Old Trafford.
‘I don’t think we will see Scott or Paul before the winter break,’ Solskjaer said. ‘Or I know that we won’t see them before the winter break.’